Gogglebox stars Jenny and Lee’s unusual relationship - and their mystery partners

Jenny Newby and Lee Riley have often been mistaken for mother and son or even husband and wife in the past.

But the hilarious pair, who have been firm Gogglebox favourites since they started in 2014, are actually best friends.

And their actual partners have never been seen on screen - and refuse to take part in the Channel 4 show.

Jenny is married to husband Ray, who has never appeared on the show, while Lee has been with partner Steve Mail for 26 years.

They became pals 21 years ago when Jenny was a landlady at a pub in Paull, East Yorkshire, and Lee was a regular.

And Lee, who jokingly admits he regrets going in the pub, made a awkward remark about Jenny's hair when they first met.

"Lee was a customer at my pub, The Crown Inn in Paull," Jenny told Ireland’s Big Issue magazine.

"He became a regular in 1994 and used to come in pretty much every night with his partner and we were friends from the off.

"We’ve been best friends ever since."

Their relationship could have been very different if Lee had said exactly what he was thinking when he first set eyes on Jenny.

Lee joked: "I wish I’ve never gone in the pub – it cost me a fortune.

"When I first met her she had a perm and I can remember thinking, ‘She needs a haircut’. We were firm friends immediately.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had an argument. We’re too placid to argue. She makes me laugh too much for me to ever fall out with her."

While Jenny is a big part of Lee's life there is also someone else, his partner Steve, who he describes as the "love of his life".

Last year, Steve posted an adorable snap of the pair with a cute message to mark their 25th anniversary together.

Lee tweeted: "Happy anniversary Steve 25 years of hell... ermmmmmm I mean bliss.

"No you're the love of my life xx."

Steve wrote back: "Happy 25th anniversary to @ leegogglebox the love of my life and my best friend love you to the moon and back here’s to many more."

Things may have been very different for Jenny and Lee had it not been for a a chance encounter with a Gogglebox researcher at Beverley Races.

When Jenny's husband wasn't keen on taking part, she asked BFF Lee if he wanted to join her at the audition instead, but he took some convincing.

Lee said: “I wasn’t [at Beverley Races] but she asked me if I wanted to sit and do a test filming with her. I’d never seen Gogglebox, it had only just started, so I walked into filming swearing my head off because she’d got me out of bed on my day off.”

Lee previously admitted he wasn't sold on the idea when asked to take part and told the Hull Daily Mail.

"To be honest I didn’t want to do it. I’d say it took her about an hour and a half to talk me into it," confessed Lee.

Fortunately for fans of the pair, Jenny managed to twist Lee's arm and they became famous overnight.

Lee recently released a vintage snap of the pair grinning while posing on one of their cruise holidays in 2004.

Telly favourite Jenny looked unrecognisable as she donned a edgy dark brown bob, while well-dressed Lee shut down any jokes about the picture looking like a wedding photograph.

"Old photo 16 years ago of me and Jenny on a cruise taking the p**s and no before you ask we didn’t get married," he wrote in the caption.

The pair frequently go on holiday together and Lee spends most of his time with partner Steve in Cyprus.

Proving how close they are, Jenny and Lee even moved in together amid the coronavirus lockdown.

While many Gogglebox stars were slammed for allegedly 'breaking the rules', Jenny and Lee decided to self-isolate together and become 'friends with no benefits'.

From their joint account, Jenny and Lee tweeted: "Well what can we say it’s Friday and it’s still on #Gogglebox

"Jenny and me watching together as we are both on lockdown TOGETHER friends with no benefits I may add an hour of laughs stay safe stay well #StayHomeSavesLives"

They made the sad announcement last week that Lee would be moving out after spending nine whole weeks together so they could carry on filming the series.

In the las episode of the series, Jenny said: "Just think Lee, what are you going to do when I go home?

"I'll miss you when I go home. Have you bought me a leaving present?"

Lee replied: "Yeah. A f****** suitcase."

Jenny then responded: “Well I’ll miss you but you just don’t like admitting it.”

Then Lee said: “I f***** won’t."

Laughing, he then added that he "couldn't wait" to get rid of her.

But this did cause some confusion, as viewers were previously under the impression that the caravan was Jenny's and not Lee's.

Although they may be apart now, Jenny and Lee have proved they are lifelong friends.

*Gogglebox airs tonight on Channel 4 at 9pm